Page 43 - European Energy Innovation - Autumn 2015 publication
P. 43
Autumn 2015 European Energy Innovation 43
BUILDINGS ENERGY EFICIENCY
economic choices, like choosing a Figure 3. Is there more interest shown in properties with a higher EPC rating?
property with a high EPC class, if
they have the means to do so. The
benefits of choosing a property
that in the long run will save on
the energy bills have to be made
more obvious to the general
customer. This way a good EPC
can be another instrument in the
tool box of real-estate agents
to inform their clients about the
characteristics of a property.
But the issue remains the lack of % answers Significantly higher/ lower score - total vs the country
confidence in the reliability of EPC
data which many respondents which the market is integrating requirements for the qualification
to the survey noted. It seems tools that are supposed to and/or accreditation of experts as
that perception on this matter encourage energy performance well as for a system that monitors
makes all the difference. People improvements in buildings. The compliance. l
will only adjust their behaviour survey hinted to a larger issue
rationally when confronted with – we have proven technology, Figure 2. Connection between the EPC and
credible information. The lack financial schemes and the tools to the exposure time on the market
of a monitoring and compliance encourage investments in energy
system decreases, and rightly so, efficiency in buildings, but a large-
the credibility of the EPC scheme. scale uptake of these approaches
When confronted with unreliable is missing.
data, the market will not welcome
a failing instrument with open Maybe a next step to ensure % answers
arms. proper market uptake could be N=45 Voluntary certification and other form of certification –
to set up a more reliable EPC without legal requirement for EPC
In order to ensure a high quality check system and raise
quality of energy performance awareness among stakeholders Contact the coordinator of the ZEBRA2020
certifications, an independent about the benefits of using EPCs. project:
control system was introduced A good EPC rating can lead to the
through the EPBD recast (Art. increase of the property value and Raphael Bointner
18). This EU measure seems to to reduced energy bills. E-mail: bointner(at)eeg.tuwien.ac.at
suffer some delays before being
properly implemented on the It seems that a major problem
ground. The level of awareness on the ground is the lack of
of these relevant EU Directives trustworthy EPCs. This shows
is quite low among the survey once more the need for stricter
participants.
Considering the example
of the EPC scheme there is
ample reason to argue for an
inconsistency in the pace in
1 The survey was conducted within the framework of the EU funded project ZEBRA2020. The survey analysis is available at www.zebra2020.eu
2 Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania and Spain
3 Directive 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 May 2010 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
BUILDINGS ENERGY EFICIENCY
economic choices, like choosing a Figure 3. Is there more interest shown in properties with a higher EPC rating?
property with a high EPC class, if
they have the means to do so. The
benefits of choosing a property
that in the long run will save on
the energy bills have to be made
more obvious to the general
customer. This way a good EPC
can be another instrument in the
tool box of real-estate agents
to inform their clients about the
characteristics of a property.
But the issue remains the lack of % answers Significantly higher/ lower score - total vs the country
confidence in the reliability of EPC
data which many respondents which the market is integrating requirements for the qualification
to the survey noted. It seems tools that are supposed to and/or accreditation of experts as
that perception on this matter encourage energy performance well as for a system that monitors
makes all the difference. People improvements in buildings. The compliance. l
will only adjust their behaviour survey hinted to a larger issue
rationally when confronted with – we have proven technology, Figure 2. Connection between the EPC and
credible information. The lack financial schemes and the tools to the exposure time on the market
of a monitoring and compliance encourage investments in energy
system decreases, and rightly so, efficiency in buildings, but a large-
the credibility of the EPC scheme. scale uptake of these approaches
When confronted with unreliable is missing.
data, the market will not welcome
a failing instrument with open Maybe a next step to ensure % answers
arms. proper market uptake could be N=45 Voluntary certification and other form of certification –
to set up a more reliable EPC without legal requirement for EPC
In order to ensure a high quality check system and raise
quality of energy performance awareness among stakeholders Contact the coordinator of the ZEBRA2020
certifications, an independent about the benefits of using EPCs. project:
control system was introduced A good EPC rating can lead to the
through the EPBD recast (Art. increase of the property value and Raphael Bointner
18). This EU measure seems to to reduced energy bills. E-mail: bointner(at)eeg.tuwien.ac.at
suffer some delays before being
properly implemented on the It seems that a major problem
ground. The level of awareness on the ground is the lack of
of these relevant EU Directives trustworthy EPCs. This shows
is quite low among the survey once more the need for stricter
participants.
Considering the example
of the EPC scheme there is
ample reason to argue for an
inconsistency in the pace in
1 The survey was conducted within the framework of the EU funded project ZEBRA2020. The survey analysis is available at www.zebra2020.eu
2 Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania and Spain
3 Directive 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 May 2010 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
